Enlight Inn

We all could use some pampering every now and then, taking a time-out from the stressors in our fast-paced lives in order to catch our breath. This pampering may involve a massage or pedicure at the spa, allowing others to take care of us for a few hours so we can relax before being thrust back into our normal routines again.

But what if there were a place where you could not only get pampered, but you could also be inspired to live a life of wellness and self-care?

I discovered such a place, right here in Joplin, called Enlight Inn. I spent two days sampling the many services offered here (rough, huh?), and the experience not only left me feeling amazing, but it also introduced me to news ways of approaching self-care and stress reduction. It was like my reset button had been pressed, prompting me to become more mindful in my everyday habits.

Located in a complex of quaint white cottages that once comprised a Route 66 motor inn decades ago, Enlight Inn is the brainchild of Joplinite Christa Tullis. With over 20 years of experience in the wellness industry, Christa wanted to create a center where she could share the tools that she found most beneficial in the journey to restore her own health (which you can read about in her book). In 2017, Christa opened the doors of Enlight Inn, ushering in a novel approach to wellness in the Joplin area.

The Enlight Inn complex reminds me of a college campus (but one where you get to attend your favorite classes and automatically pass just for showing up). There are the “classrooms” of experiential learning, which are the spa rooms where you learn about new techniques while getting pampered (a total win); the drive-through “cafeteria” which offers smoothies and healthy snacks; and the “dorms,” whimsical individual cottages where you can spend the night (which is a good idea if you feel like jelly after the spa services, like I did).

SPA SERVICES

Here’s an overview of the services I received:

Whole body vibration

Far infrared sauna session

Mind spa

Flotation therapy

Fascia blasting

Halotherapy

I really didn’t know what to expect from any of these since they were all new to me. Now that I’ve experienced them, I’ll describe what they’re like.

Did they want me to exercise? Thankfully, no. All I had to do was stand on the machine and it started vibrating. Before long, I was shaking like J.Lo (or was it jello?), and the unexpected sensation made me giddy. Why make your body shake like a leaf? To increase metabolism and improve lymphatic flow (which helps the body detox).

Far Infrared Sauna

My idea of a sauna used to be a small wooden room filled with heat so dry and hot that it’s nearly impossible to breathe. But there are new types of saunas, like this far infrared sauna which heats the body from inside a zippered dome, leaving your head exposed to (blessedly cool) room-temperature air.

Before you climb inside, you’ll need to strip down to your birthday suit. Then, you perch your hiney on the towel-covered chair, place your feet on the designated cool plates, set the timer, then zip up the dome from the inside. There are openings for your hands so that you can read, or use your phone, or turn on the portable fan when your body starts getting toasty (I was so grateful for that little fan).

It’s getting hot in here!

By the end of my session, I was as as soggy as a swamp monster, which is a good thing because the sauna aids your body in detoxifying and improving circulation. Bonus: My skin felt so supple afterward and my daughter even said that it was glowing hours later.

Mind Spa

This one really surprised me – in a good way. The mental vacation created by the combination of tools used in the mind spa was downright psychedelic, and it was one vacation from which I didn’t want to return.

First, I got settled in the zero-gravity Osaki massage chair (aka my new best friend), then I put on brainwave entrainment glasses, which use pulsing lights to stimulate the brain to align to the same frequency as a certain stimulus (faster pulsing to elevate your mood, or slower pulsing for relaxation). Your eyes remain closed while the wearing the glasses so you don’t look directly at the light.

Finally, I chose a meditation which would guide me to a twilight state in which I would receive positive suggestions for an area that I wanted to work on. When these three tools were set up, my session began. (Don’t worry, you won’t have to figure all of this out on your own. Someone from Enlight Inn will be there to walk you through the process and get you settled.)

Now, I’ve sat in massage chairs before, but they were nothing like this Osaki, which used a variety of techniques to knead my tight muscles. When the arm compartment activated, it felt like someone was giving me a warm hug. The rhythmic kneading of the chair, combined with the pulsating lights and soothing meditation made me feel like I was in a cocoon. I never wanted to emerge.

Across the room from the Osaki chair is an area where you can put on a headset and try out a virtual reality meditation, which will make you feel as though you are physically immersed in whichever setting you choose. This is a fun way for beginners to ease into the practice of meditation.

Flotation Therapy

What happens when you enter a tub filled with 1000 pounds of Epsom salt? You float. Why is that a good thing? When you float, stress melts away and the magnesium sulfite in the water eases muscle aches and pains.

The first part of my session in the private flotation therapy room involved taking a pre-float rinse in the shower to help make sure that the tank’s Epsom salt water stays as free as possible from outside contaminants (you float without clothes on, as well). I also grabbed a pair of earplugs to keep the water out, a neck pillow, and a washcloth to wipe off the salt water that would inevitably sting my eyes when I touched my face (which happened several times).

Here’s what it looks like going into the tank:

The tank itself was bigger than I expected. There are three buttons on the wall to the right that control the starry lights on the ceiling, the tub lights, and the music.

Next to those is an intercom button. Once I was settled into the tank, I pressed this to let the person at the front desk know that I was ready for my session to begin (I could also press this at any time during the session if I needed anything).

For the first few minutes, I played around with the buttons to experience the different sensory options. I quickly decided that I preferred to float in silence, and in complete darkness.

The most difficult part of floating for me was trying to quiet my monkey mind. But I think this is something that will get easier with each float; the more I get accustomed to the experience, the more I’ll be able to let go.

For those of you who may be anxious about staying in a tank for an extended period of time, I want to point out that I was able to get out at any time to take a break or use the restroom. I knew my session was over when I heard the water pumps turn on. I then showered to rinse off the salt residue (shampoo, conditioner, and body wash are provided).

I felt deeply relaxed after my flotation therapy session, and I desperately wanted to check into one of the cottages and sleep the rest of the afternoon, but reality dictated that I must pick up my children from school. Knowing that I’d be back the following day for more spa services made the transition easier.

Fascia Blasting

The following day I returned for a fascia blasting session. Fascia blasting is a technique developed by Ashley Black which uses hard-noduled plastic tools to help break up the connective tissue (fascia) that surrounds our muscles which can sometimes become so tight that muscle movement is restricted.

Breaking up the fascia allows for ease of movement, reduced pain, and – bonus – a smoother appearance of the skin (see you later, cellulite!).

Because fascia is more malleable when it’s warm, each blasting session at Enlight Inn begins with a 15-minute sit in the far infrared sauna. After that, it’s time for blasting on the massage table.

Fascia blasting involves moving the plastic tools vigorously across the skin, applying more pressure as needed in areas that are more bound. I wouldn’t say this is a relaxing technique, but it certainly is an effective one. Think of it like deep tissue massage work: it hurts so good (but never to the point of pain).

I was so intrigued by this technique that I immediately booked a second session and then went on Amazon and bought a fascia blasting tool to use at home for maintenance. Using it has helped loosen my neck and hip – the areas where I tend to hold tension.

Halotherapy

A few friends of mine joined me in the afternoon for a halotherapy session. This service uses a halogenerator to dispense a fine aerosol of salt particles throughout the room in order to recreate the climate of natural salt caves. (The halogenerator is located behind this door.)

When inhaled, the particles act like a gentle brush, moving mucus and bacteria through the airways and improving respiration.

What I liked about our halotherapy session is that I got to catch up with my friends in a relaxing environment while doing something beneficial for my body.

THE CAFE

After our session, we stopped at the Cafe and I ordered a Bulletproof Coffee (made with Bulletproof beans, MCT oil, and grass-fed butter), and my friend Carrie ordered snacks which included veggies and Zummus (hummus made with zucchini), and Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding.

Christa’s experience as a raw foodist has influenced the selection of healthy menu items, which also includes a variety of smoothies.

With Enlight Inn’s convenient drive-through window, it’s easy to eat clean while on the go.

PRIVATE COTTAGES

These cozy cottages provide a convenient crash pad when you’ve had a day filled with spa services and don’t want to drive anywhere. They’re also a unique option for out-of-towners who can take advantage of Enlight Inn’s services while visiting Joplin (overnight guests receive discounts on spa services, too).

The beds in each cottage are also equipped with grounding mats, which have a negative charge. As we go throughout our day, we build up a positive charge in our bodies, and having contact with a grounding mat can even out this positive charge and return our bodies to a neutral state. When you sleep at Enlight Inn, your body is restored in more ways than one!

Not only did I receive pampering during my visit to Enlighten Inn, but I also earned my degree in self-care. I learned that the things that I do for self-care shouldn’t be departures from my daily routine; they’re essential to the foundation of a life lived to the fullest.

I guess you could say I’ve become enlightened.

Enlight Inn is located at 3817 North Main Street in Joplin. Click here to visit its website, or click here to follow it on Facebook. Christa Tullis is also an instructor at Precision Pilates.